


Uprooted

by hawkeing_eta



Series: Definition of Found Family [1]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Backstory, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Family, Gen, Mentions of Brief Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-02 23:37:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11519916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeing_eta/pseuds/hawkeing_eta
Summary: The call came late at night. Akira was supposed to be home a while ago, but Tatsuya trusted the kid.[Canon Divergence/AU where Tatsuya and Jun are Akira's parents and more involved in his life during his probation]





	1. The Night of the Arrest

**Author's Note:**

> I love tatsujun and shukita too much so I had to make an AU where they could both exist at the same time and everyone could be happy at the end. Who's ready for some self-indulgence?

The call came late at night. The police station's phone number flashed on the screen sitting next to the sink and Tatsuya had almost let it go to voicemail. If it was important, they'd leave a message. If it wasn't, there would still be a message but it was hard to imagine what they could want this late. Maybe that had been the first prick of warning in the back of his mind. What could they want this late?

He'd pulled graveyard shifts in the past, but if they wanted him to cover a patrol there was usually more of a heads up.

Tatsuya pulled his hands from the sink, drying them off quickly on a spare towel, before hitting the “answer call” button.

“Hello?”

“Suou-san? It's Takeuchi.” He stilled. Takeuchi was just another patrol officer. One of the higher ups would have called if they needed him to come in last minute. This couldn't be a personal matter either if Takeuchi was calling directly from the station. Something wasn't right. Tatsuya stood up a little straighter.

“What's wrong?” Akira was supposed to be home a while ago, but he trusted the kid.

“Straight to the point as always, hahaa...” Takeuchi had tried to lighten the mood but even she seemed to know it fell flat. “Ah, Suou-san, it's your partner's son. Someone's already notified him, but there was some sort of altercation a few blocks over. From what I hear, I think the kid is being charged with assault.” It was a heavy blow to his chest, dread settling in quickly. Tatsuya was already racing out, grabbing his riding jacket and slamming the door behind him before Takeuchi had even finished talking.

This didn't sound right. Something was very wrong and as he kicked up the stand to his bike harder than necessary, he heard Takeuchi's voice say, “I thought you should know. You should probably get down here.” He hung up right after that. As he hit the ignition, he paused to send out a quick message.

> **New Message:**
> 
> **[Tatsuya] > [Jun]**
> 
> **[Tatsuya]:** akira's at the police station  
>  **[Tatsuya]:** they said you'd already been notified but i'm going there now  
>  **[Tatsuya]:** please come home

Tatsuya lets out a shaky breath and closed his eyes, trying to regain control of himself. Driving while panicked wasn't going to help anything, but it had settled in deep. This was worse than the time Akira had broken his arm at the park. He finally settled, and as he drove off maybe he neglected to check speed limits.

The station was fairly quiet when he arrived. It was a small town with not much ever going on at any given time—partially why he and Jun had chose it—but there was still a number of other officers still present as he pushed his way through, barely remembering to take off his helmet. It was Takeuchi who had managed to catch him, thankfully. No one else had managed to get used to his quiet nature or see the genuine concern underneath his stern face while he was on duty.

“Glad you're here. This whole thing is a mess,” the woman said as she lead him past all the desks and piles of paperwork, towards the back to the interrogation room.

“What's going on?” Tatsuya sounded a little exasperated, and only stopped when he felt the slight tug of a hand on his arm, keeping him from charging into the occupied room. Looking back at her, he could see it in the way her lips pursed and brows furrowed. They were still questioning the boy. They were still harassing his son.

It was only the slight tug that pulled him back.

“I'm not going to lie to you: it's not good.” The way she glanced away to the door, Takeuchi's hesitance was palpable. “I don't know everything. They're not letting many people look into it. But the assault charges sound like they're going to go through.” Tatsuya's stomach dropped and he looked back at the door. This wasn't like Akira. What had happened? Takeuchi tugged on his arm again and Tatsuya needed that reminder to breathe.

“How long has he been in there?” Tatsuya finally asked. He was still focused on that door. His kid is just on the other side...

“Quite a while. They should be done anytime now. Suou-san...” There was a firmness in her voice that drew him back and as he looked at her stand straight, head held high, all he saw was the very picture of what the police force should be. She was still fairly new, but he hoped more officers held themselves like she did, “Something's off about this whole thing,” she said, voice hushed yet with purpose, “I've never meet him, but the way you speak of your kid, this doesn't seem like him. No one's talking about this either.”

That grabbed his attention and his brows furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“It's like everyone just wants this done and out of the way. That kid is being charged with assault and no one seems to care. The weirdest thing, Suou-san? We have an eyewitness account, but the other supposed victim is absent. Actually, that's not quite right...” Takeuchi trailed off, her eyes darting around as though she were shuffling through too much information laid out in front of her only she could sort. “It's as if someone is actively trying to keep that victim hidden and out of this. I can understand anonymity, but I can't help but feel like whoever it is, they're putting too much work into this for it to simply be that.” She sighed finally, and dropped her hand from Tatsuya's arm as the two of them look back towards the door. Tatsuya dug around in his pocket for his lighter.

“You said there was an eyewitness.” The lighter flipped open and closed in a steady rhythm. Uncharacteristic of Tatsuya, and the way Takeuchi watched seemed to tip her off as well. He was back to staring at that door.

“Nn,” she confirmed with a short nod.

“Tell me the testimony.” Tatsuya's face was stern.

“Like I've mentioned before, I don't know everything. This is all just from what I've managed to dig up on my own before the chief started getting suspicious.” Tatsuya's brow raised at that, but he let her continue, “The woman at the scene says the boy just came up to them and started verbally harassing her and the man she was with. We have no name on him. Things escalated and then the boy attacked the man, injuring him. There... _was_ small traces of blood found at the scene,” Takeuchi's eyes fell. “That, alongside a witness... The charges will likely go through.”

Tatsuya closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She was right. It would be hard to fight even without seeming like he was abusing his position. He doesn't want to think his own kid would be capable of this—that he would cause such a stir. His thumb rubbed over the engraving on his lighter, and for the life of him he couldn't rationalize this out. Akira has had his feisty moments, but he wasn't outright confrontational.

“Let me get you some water,” Takeuchi said softly, as she walked off. Tatsuya could hear her mutter a bitter, “They should have been done twenty minutes ago,” before she was gone. He watched the doorway she left out of and he couldn't bring himself to move. If he moved, he knew he wouldn't stop. He would bring this place down with him if it meant keeping that kid safe.

His phone buzzed a couple times in his back pocket and he immediately went to read the messages.

> **[Jun]:** I'm here.  
>  **[Jun]:** Is Akira okay? I wasn't told much before you messaged me.

Tatsuya was at a loss. No, Akira wasn't okay but he couldn't say that. Not having seen him yet, Tatsuya wasn't much more informed. It was too much to send over text and he didn't want to call just yet in case he had to cut it short. His phone buzzed again.

> **[Jun]:** I can't read you if you're not here. Please tell me what's going on.  
>  **[Tatsuya]:**  Still at the station. Haven't seen him yet  
>  **[Tatsuya]:**  I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I know

That wasn't going to satisfy him for long but what else could he say? His stomach was still bottoming out and he was doing everything he could to keep it together a little longer.

> **[Tatsuya]:**  I'm sorry  
>  **[Jun]:** It's not your fault, Tatsuya.

His heart ached and Tatsuya had to put his phone away before everything could hit him all over again. Takeuchi entered the room again and he looked over to her. There was a gentle, fragile smile on her face, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work, but Tatsuya could appreciate her effort. She held out the small paper cup, but the door to the interrogation room finally opened before he even had a change to take it.

Pushing off the desk he had been leaning against, Tatsuya could feel that nervous energy he had been trying to reign in build back up. It was a stocky officer who had exited the occupied room and Tatsuya stared the man down. There was still no sign of Akira yet.

The aging man finally noticed the two as he dug out a ring of keys.

“Suou-san? You got here quite—”

“Where is he?” Tatsuya approached, interrupting any kind of small talk the other man seemed to want to instigate. His grip was tight on his lighter.

The older officer sighed, seeming to take the hint that he'll get bulldozed one way or another. The bags under his eyes say he had been at this for too long already. Vaguely, he gestured to the door behind him.

“He's right in there. Go on and take him home. There's a lot of paperwork to go through.” And just like that, the man walked off. Reeling a little, Tatsuya wasn't sure if he should be thankful it was cut short or outraged he and his kid got tossed aside so simply. It doesn't feel satisfying but he'll sort it out later. Takeuchi was left with the paper cup.

There wasn't much to the interrogation room. Just a small off-white square with a table and a few metal and plastic chairs. A cramped space not made with comfort in mind. When Tatsuya opened the door, Akira looked so small sitting in one of the chairs in the corner, so out of place. The boy didn't even look up as Tatsuya entered, seemingly focused on some imaginary spot on the table. He had always been a quiet kid, but Tatsuya was too intimately familiar with the dangerous kind and seeing Akira fall into it was painful. It was like he had given up.

“Akira,” Tatsuya finally said softly, like he was scared. He was. Akira looked up and it hit Tatsuya just how tired the boy looked. The collar of his shirt was almost hanging off his shoulder, stretched out from obvious rough handling, and his hair was a slight mess. More so than usual. There was a faint scowl pulling at his face, but Tatsuya knew it wasn't directed at him. Akira's shoulders seemed to relax and the exhaustion looked like it was finally hitting him.

Tatsuya tightened his grip on the doorknob. “Let's get you home.”

As the two of them start to leave the station, Tatsuya kept a hand on Akira's shoulder. Half of the officers still present watched them with pity in their gazes. The other half stared and Tatsuya could hear the accusatory mutters as they passed. There was a hand at his back, the leather of his jacket in a tight grip.

There were already rumors floating around about him. He had gotten pretty good at ignoring them.

Out in the parking lot, Tatsuya took the helmet off his bike and slipped it onto Akira's head, adjusting the straps underneath his chin. The night felt overwhelmingly quiet as he fumbled with the strap, and Akira's hands came up in slight protest after he took too long.

“I can put it on myself, Dad.”

It wasn't that he was ignoring his kid, but Tatsuya had started something and he felt the need to finish it. It was almost like a compulsion. Akira stopped protesting much after the strap was finally on correctly. And he did go completely still when Tatsuya suddenly hugged him tight. He'll still need to hear Akira's side of the story, but right at that moment Tatsuya needed to know his son was safe and he was here. He held him a little tighter when felt thin arms wrap around his torso.

One last squeeze and Tatsuya pulled back, holding the sides of the helmet as he looked over Akira's face, checking for anything he might have missed earlier. Although Akira's eyes were wet and red, there was spark of determination fiercely shining through the fatigue. He hadn't given up, he just knew when to pause the fight. Tatsuya patted the side of the helmet before turning towards the bike.

“Hop on.” He pulled his phone out as he felt the bike jostle with Akira's added weight behind him, and sent out a quick message that the two of them would finally be heading home. It was almost a surreal feeling. Akira seemed to hold on to him a little tighter than usual as they drove off.

It was late by the time the two get back home. Tatsuya had paused in the small driveway, letting the bike idle. Neither he nor Akira moved to get off just yet. He does eventually turn the bike off and remove the key, but he had just sat back a little, reaching down to gently hold his son's wrist still wrapped around him. Giving it a firm squeeze, he could feel Akira deflate against his back. It hadn't really sunk in properly yet, and Tatsuya wasn't sure how to handle the situation. A broken arm, sure. Hell, he could handle the end of the world. But this? This felt too reminiscent and made his stomach turn.

Akira was the first to move to hop off the old bike, jostling Tatsuya out of his thoughts. He hesitated as he watched Akira stand and take the helmet off, holding it out for him to take. It felt like an offering and Tatsuya's heart ached all over again. He finally took it as he got himself up and gently ushered the boy towards the front door. His hand rested Akira's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze as they walk inside.

Thin arms were already around Akira's shoulders before the front door even had a chance to close. Jun's hands seemed to hover everywhere, as though they can't quite process that the boy really is there and really is okay. They finally settled on Akira's face, dark and intense eyes darting over him, taking in every detail. His thumb rubbed against the boy's cheek as Jun's face fell. He pulled Akira back in for a much more gentle hug, looking up to Tatsuya who was still standing silently behind them in the doorway. Jun's fingers carefully ran through their son's frazzled hair as Akira tentatively returned the hug.

“I'm glad you're safe,” Jun finally said after what felt like an oppressively long pause. No one was sure what to say or what to do. But Jun seemed to. Jun always seemed to know just what to say and Tatsuya was conflicted. The way Jun's eyes lingered on him, he already knew. Jun took a deep breath before pulling back, running his thumb over Akira's cheek again. There was a soft, painful smile. Tatsuya finally stepped forward.

“Go get some rest. We can talk tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Akira's voice had sounded more like a faint crackling than anything, and watching him head off towards the stairs, shoulders sagging and almost hunched over, Tatsuya wanted to go back to the station and chew out every single one of them who had harassed him. Jun's hand gently rested on his shoulder before he could pass him and Tatsuya stopped. It was an anchor. A tether to what was real. This was happening. This had really happened. Akira was supposed to come home safely from his friend's house and they were all supposed to have a nice, quiet evening together.

The ground felt like it had been ripped out from underneath him all over again and he wanted to topple over, but there were hands on his face, softly resting against his cheeks and Tastuya felt himself crumple into Jun's arms. It was a tight embrace, and he could feel one of Jun's hands run through his hair and carefully tug out his ponytail. It was a small gesture, but it was all the grounding he needed to collect himself again.

“What did they tell you?” He muttered against Jun's neck. He wrapped his arms around his that waist a little tighter.

“Not much, honestly. Just that there was an incident and he had been taken down to the station.” One of his hands was still running through Tatsuya's hair idly. It had started to shake. “You messaged me almost immediately afterwards, so I headed straight home.”

“He's gonna be charged with assault.”

Jun's hands froze. Slowly, he backed away and stared at Tatsuya with wide eyes. With the call and his own messages, Jun had to have had some kind of idea this would happen, but Tatsuya had been there and it was still hard to believe.

He stood up a little straighter, taking Jun's hands into his own. The way he gripped them, it was clear it was more for his own benefit than the other man's. Jun returned the grip just as hard.

“I don't know his side. I didn't want to push him. But someone's claiming he harassed them to the point where someone got hurt.” Tatsuya's head started to hang and he looked down at their hands. He rubbed his thumb over a pale wrist. “There was an eyewitness. Something _did_ happen.” There was a faint tug of Jun trying to take his hands back and Tatsuya let them go easily enough, watching as the other man stepped back and held his own head, eyes unfocused. What does he say to this? Tatsuya just watched as Jun seems to fall into his own thoughts, struggling to make sense of it all.

Tatsuya couldn't even imagine what was going through his own son's head. And here he was just standing in the entryway watching the two most important people in his life fumble for any sort of stability. He was struggling to find some himself. This wasn't the sort of problem they could take head on. There were too many obstacles, too much red tape holding them back. He wants to fight, but with what? He's just a patrol officer. He doesn't even have any legal custody.

“Tatsuya.”

It was like a beacon bringing him back from the brink and Tatsuya wasn't sure how Jun always managed that.

“We'll get through this,” Jun said, conviction clear in his voice as he stood firm. His right hand started to fumble with the wristwatch on his left. “We'll figure something out and we're going to keep him safe.” There was absolutely no hesitation and that unyielding belief was a comfort all it's own. Tatsuya wasn't sure what he would do without him. He nodded firmly.

“Yeah.”


	2. Omake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> – おまけ

Akira wasn't sure exactly how long it had been since he'd gotten home; he hadn't bothered to check his phone. Did he even still have it? Maybe it was in his bag, if he even still had that. It might have been about an hour since he had heard his parents' door close for the night.

He felt numb. All he had managed to do since he had crawled into bed was curl up and stare at the opposite wall. He couldn't even bring himself to figure out how all this had happened in the first place, where he had gone wrong or what kind of karma he had built up. It had happened. He really had been arrested for trying to help someone. The whole idea of being in the wrong place at the wrong time always just seemed like a silly trope but that was exactly what it was. His parents were going to have to deal with the fallout. He'd probably get expelled. He was just trying to help.

Scrubbing at his eyes and face, Akira sat himself up before he could catch himself in that endless loop of self-pity. That wasn't going to help anything and he knew with his racing yet stagnant mind he wasn't going to get much sleep that night. It was buzzing and left his body feeling like static.

He rubbed a hand over his face once more, and Akira thought a glass of water sounded nice right then.

His steps were light and careful as he made his way down the stairs, avoiding the creaking boards, but he froze in place when he reached the bottom. It was dark, only the light from the entryway had been left on, but Akira could still see one of his parents sitting at the table. Jun had that far off look in his eyes, not unlike when he would sometimes grow too quiet and Tatsuya would end up fretting over him more than usual. This was probably his fault too.

“Akira,” that soft voice pulled Akira out of his thoughts and he quickly looked up to see Jun gently smiling at him. Akira knew he was hiding it, but he didn't want to bring it up right then.

“Sorry,” Akira mumbled. The smile Jun had faltered, but he was quick to maintain it. Akira doesn't comment.

“Would you like some tea? I made too much.”

After Jun fixed a cup for Akira, they both sat at the table and that quiet seemed to return, though it was obvious Jun was trying to keep it at bay. They never really talk about what causes the lapses, not in front of Akira at least, and the few times he's tried asking he was just met with “Don't worry about it. It's in the past.” Akira's leg started to bounce underneath the table as he ran his fingers over the side of his cup. It was warm and smelled like chamomile.

“I didn't do anything wrong,” Akira finally said after what feels like a suffocating amount of time. He leaned into the table, propping his head up against his hand, fingers digging into his hair. Both his dads were worrying over him and Jun was obviously not taking this well. He felt like he was going to burst. This wasn't fair and he was frustrated and there's nothing he could do.

“I believe you.”Akira glanced up at Jun's soft, yet firm words. The man looked tired, but there was a stern determination in his eyes. Akira trusted those eyes. “You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to, but I've watched you grow up,” Jun's gentle smile returns, “You stand your ground, but you know when and when not to fight.”

Those candid words and genuine love and concern coming from that smile caused Akira to turn away, hiding his own smile blooming. He twirled a few strands of his hair around his finger, a little embarrassed, a little touched.

That smile fell though as everything started to come back to him. The events of the day slowly piling back up and Akira ended up staring at his tea. His hand fell into the table and he could feel Jun's careful gaze on him. Akira needed to be honest. It's the least his dad deserves.

“I was just trying to help,” he started, hands fidgeting with each other, eventually rubbing at his own wrist. The way Jun leaned forward, focusing on each word he says, it was almost like a mirror. “I was coming home when I heard a woman yelling for help. The guy was drunk off his ass and demanding she get in his car. I couldn't leave it be. So I butted in.” Akira sat back in his chair and continued to stare at his untouched tea. His leg was still bouncing under the table and Jun was sitting patiently. He didn't push for Akira to continue or interrupt his thoughts. Akira was grateful for it.

“I tried not to let him touch her but it just pissed him off more and when I tried to grab at me and the woman I moved and he just went down. Guess he hit his head because suddenly he's bleeding and calling me a 'damn brat' and saying he'd sue.

“That's when the police came.” That was supposed to be the end of it. It should have been. A slap on the wrist for both of them. But looking at Jun's intense gaze, Akira knew Jun didn't think that was it. He was still sitting quietly, patiently waiting for more. Because there had to be more than that. Akira looked back at his dad with his own frustration.

“I guess he knew the officers. And the woman.” That youthful anger started to burn all over again. “He's throwing out subtle threats and all of a sudden I'm being detained and I hear that woman comply to his damn demands to say that _I_ started everything. That _I_ was the one who attacked _them_.” That frustration was becoming overwhelming again, his hand turning into a tight fist on the tabletop. He wanted to yell.

“And that's what happened?” Jun's voice was level as he spoke, animosity in his eyes Akira didn't often see. His hand tightened and he could feel his nails dig into his palm.

“That's what happened.”

The two sat in silence And Akira could swear he heard the soft ticking his his dad's old wristwatch. Jun took a slow sip of his tea, then set it down squarely in front of himself.

“I'm going to do everything I can to protect, Akira. And so will Tatsuya. I can promise you that.”

Akira swallowed at the lump forming in his throat.

“I believe you.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is only the beginning! •̀.̫•́✧ I have a lot planned for this AU
> 
> My twitter is [@hawkeing_eta](https://twitter.com/hawkeing_eta) and I cry a lot there.  
> Find me on [tumblr](http://hawkeing-eta.tumblr.com/), too.


End file.
